Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Hornets

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the spread of reported Asian hornet nesting sites in England since 2019.

Lord Benyon: A risk assessment for Asian hornet was completed in 2011. The risk assessment concluded that there were multiple pathways through which Asian hornet could arrive in England and therefore that entry was very likely. Several areas were identified where Asian hornet incursions were thought to be most likely and this included Southern English counties, coastal regions, open areas near fresh water and areas close to ports and airports. Since 2019 there have been 80 Asian hornet nests located and destroyed in Great Britain with 77 of these nests located in the South of England. In 2023 there was a large increase in the number of nests when compared to all previous years, with 72 nests located and destroyed. The majority of the nests were located in the South-East (62), while 8 were located in the South and South-West and 2 were located in the North of England. We ask all members of the public to be vigilant for sightings of Asian hornet during the peak season (June-October) as Asian hornets are known to be an effective hitch hiker and may be spotted anywhere across the country.Risk Assessment  (pdf, 746.9KB)

Hornets

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the spread of Asian hornets on the welfare of (1) honey bees, and (2) other insect populations, in England; and what action they are taking to prevent the further spread of this invasive species.

Lord Benyon: The Government recognises the essential role played by honey bees and wild pollinators in our environment, acknowledging their contribution to crop pollination. Additionally, pollinators play a vital role in supporting the natural ecosystem. Asian hornets prey on honey bees and other pollinators so pose a significant threat to these insects. To date rapid action has been taken in the UK to find and destroy Asian hornet nests. In 2023 a total of 72 nests were located and destroyed, the majority of these were located in the South-East (62). The National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, rapidly located and destroyed the nests so we would expect any impacts on honey bee colonies and other pollinators to be small and localised. From the analysis of nests found in 2023, a number of areas were identified where there is a low risk that Asian hornet queens may have overwintered. To address this, the NBU is carrying out spring trapping and working collaboratively with stakeholders to monitor traps at locations across Kent, East Sussex, Devon and North Yorkshire. The Government remains committed to taking swift and effective contingency action against Asian hornet in 2024 thereby continuing to minimise the impacts on honey bees and other pollinators.

Biodiversity

Lord Randall of Uxbridge: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in reforming incentives, including subsidies for ecologically harmful activities, as required under Target 18 of the Global Biodiversity Framework.

Lord Benyon: In May 2024, the UK plans to publish its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), which will set out national targets and policies for implementing targets in the Global Biodiversity Framework, including Target 18. This will include a target to identify any incentives and subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity. The UK already has a positive story to tell on reforming incentives through our work to deliver the Agricultural Transition. Our Environmental Land Management schemes will incentivise farmers to improve biodiversity, soil health and air and water quality, reduce agricultural emissions, restore peatland, and establish and restore woodlands and forests.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Ministers: Visits Abroad

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government whether any foreign country has paid for the flights or accommodation of any Minister visiting that country in the past two years; and if so, who the Ministers were, what were the reasons for their visits, which country was visited, and the cost of (1) the flights, and (2) the accommodation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Cross-Whitehall data on flights and accommodation of any Minister visiting foreign countries is not centrally held by the FCDO and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.However, information relating to overseas travel by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers is published on GOV.UK, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals).

Department of Health and Social Care

Prostate Cancer

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to recent research conducted by the Lancet Commission,what steps they plan to take to address the projected surge in prostate cancer cases.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand public awareness campaigns for prostate cancer, following the prediction by the Lancet Commission of a surge in cases.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Lancet Commission on prostate cancer, published 4 April 2024.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, what plans they have to use artificial intelligence systems to support the diagnosis of prostate cancer, as recommended by the Lancet Commission in research published on 4 April.

Lord Markham: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom, and currently has no screening programme. The recently announced TRANSFORM trial aims to find the best way to screen for prostate cancer. This study is led by Prostate Cancer UK and supported by £42 million of Government funding. In March 2024, NHS England implemented the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), setting a target of a maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practice or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. To achieve this target, NHS England is streamlining cancer pathways by introducing best-practice timed pathways for prostate cancer, so that those suspected of having prostate cancer receive a multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scan first, which ensures only those men most at risk of having cancer undergo an invasive biopsy. As well as diagnosing patients faster, NHS England is working to diagnose patients at an earlier stage, through the ambitions set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan, to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028. NHS England takes steps to raise awareness of prostate cancer, where there are opportunities to do so. For example, NHS England partners with Cancer Alliances, charities, and local representatives to reach people through projects in the heart of their communities. Cancer Alliances have also been undertaking action to alert at-risk groups about prostate cancer. This is determined at a local level, and so will vary depending on local needs and priorities. The Government has made significant strides in enabling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the diagnosis of many types of cancer, including prostate. The AI in Health and Care Award was established, aiming to accelerate the testing and development of AI technologies that align with the NHS Long Term Plan. The award represents a substantial investment in the future of healthcare technology, with £113 million already allocated to support 86 AI technologies. Three of these projects specifically relate to prostate cancer, one of which is the Paige prostate cancer detection tool, developed by the University of Oxford. This AI-based diagnostic software aids in the interpretation of pathology sample images, facilitating more efficient detection, grading, and quantification of cancer in prostate biopsies. The Chancellor’s recent budget announcement on 6 March 2024 includes a £3.4 billion investment to reform how the National Health Service works, including on the use of technologies such as AI. Finally, although no specific assessment of the Lancet Commission published 4 April 2024 has been made, the Department will work with NHS England to review the details.

Department for Business and Trade

Brexit

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to commission a review into the (1) economic, and (2) other, (a) benefits, and (b) disbenefits, of Brexit.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The Department for Business and Trade has no plans to commission a review into the economic, and other benefits or disbenefits of Brexit. However, to mark the fourth anniversary of Brexit, on 31st January this year, the Department for Business and Trade published an overview of Brexit successes: Brexit 4th AnniversarySince the referendum the UK has grown faster than Germany, Italy, and Japan. Latest figures show that UK exports are £862bn in current prices and 2% above pre-COVID (2018) levels when adjusting for inflation. The lnternational Monetary Fund (lMF) predicts that between 2024-2029 the UK will see the third fastest growth in the G7.The Department has secured free trade deals with 73 countries plus the EU, partners that accounted for £1.1 trillion UK trade in 2022 and simplified import tariffs to lower costs for businesses and households.